Improvement in master-key locks



F. c. YANDA.

. MASTER KEY LOCK. Patented Apri1'3,.1877.

N. PETERS, FHDTWLITROGRAPHER. WASHINGTONv Dv C rnnnrmnnfo; retina, or'rirrsnune, PENNSYLVANIA.

' IMPBQVEM'EN'T IMASTER-KEY LOCKS.

' Specification partof: Letters PatentNo. dated April 3, i877; application filed March 1, I877.

Toall iv l zom may couccmr T f Be it known. thatl, EE tpINAN jO; YAN A, otiPittsbur'g, in the county of Allegheny arid State of Pennsylvania, have invented. a ew and useful I-mprovemen'tin Hotel Tum bler- Locks and I dohereby declare .thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description there-f tumblers having been removed to show the bolt, 85c. Figs. 3,4,5, 6, and 7 .are detached views oi the tumblers. Fig.8 is an end view of the tumblers and bolt" when in position to permit the passage of the bolt-pin in shooting or withdrawing the bolt. 7 Fig. 9 isfa similar view, showing the relation'of the tumblers when the bolt is either drawn or shot,

Like letters refer to like parts wherever they occur. r 7

My invention relates to that class of locks termed tumbler-locks, and is adapted for use in hotels, or like places where it is" desir able to have a series of locks which may be opened by a single pass-key,'and'where no key other than the pass-key will unlock more than a single lock of the series.

My invention consists, first, in combining, with thebolt, a series of tumblers controlled by a master-tumbler, by means of which the combination -slots of the several tumblers of the series may be. so arranged as to permit the traverse of the bolt; and, secondly, in combining, with a series of tumblers which are controllable by a master-tumbler, an independent or guard tumbler, which must be operated independently of the master-tumbler in order to release the bolt.

I will now proceed to describe, so that others skilled in the art to which it appertains may apply the same.

In the drawing, A represents the lock-case, and B the cover -plate thereof, Arranged within the case is the bolt 0, slotted as at c, for the passage of the tumbler post or pivot 0 upon which the tumblers turn, and provided with the bolt-pin 0 which enters the combination-slots of the tumblers. 0 indicates the notch of bolt 0, with which the key engages in shooting or withdrawing the bolt. 11

efg' are a series otI tumblers, of which d is the master-tumbler. These tumblers are pivoted on the tumbler-post. c and provided with the usual combination-slots formed by the transverse slots kl and connecting-slots i, and with the spring 3, which bear against a lug or post in the case.

.In the presentmstance the first tumbler 'd ofthe series, or that which lies next the bolt,

has been selected as themaster-tumbler. This tumbler dhas secured to and projecting from it a pin or lug, d, which engages in slots formed upon the other tumblers of the series,

so that' when the tumbler d is raised by the pass-key the other tumblers move with it.

Each of the remaining tumblers of the series has graduated slots 0, f, and g, at points corresponding tot'he position of lug or pin 01, audeachslot is also so arranged at right angleswith and relatively to the cross-slot z of the combination-slot of its respective tumbler that'when the series of tumblers are raised by the pin of the master-tumbler, the slots i in all the tumblers registerto permit the passage of'bolt-pin 0 h represents a tumbler that may be termed the guard-tnmbler, which, though provided with the same number of slots as the tumblers e, f, and g of .the series, is not controlled by the master-tumbler, but by an independent war d on the pass-key. The slot h of tumbler h, though arranged in relation to pin d, is not proportioned and arranged with relation to slot "6 of its tumbler; consequently, when the tumbler h is lifted by pin at, its cross-slot will not register with the cross-slots in the remaining tumblers ot' the series. This tumbler, therefore, has to be lifted by a special ward on the pass-key. The guardtumbler it may be omitted or inserted, at pleasure. I

It will be observed that the master-tumbler has been made, for purposes of illustration, the first of the series, and the pin d projects from one face of the tumbler, and also that the master-slots e, f, and g in the series of tumblers have been made in the ends of the tumblers distant from the pivot; but it is evident the pin d may be placed at any point away from the fulcrum or point of pivoting, and the slots 0, f, g, and h made at corresponding points in the series of tumblers. When the master-tumbler d isan inner tumbler, itwill have the pin or pins d projecting from both faces, as shown in Diagram D.

In fitting up a series of locks, changes may bemade not only proportionate to the number of tumblers in the series, but by the substitution of other tumblers for one or more of those composing the series. Each lock of the series will be provided with its own key, having wards corresponding to the arrangement of its tumblers, and adapted to operate the series of tumblers in the usual manner, but incapable of being used withany other lock of the set. For the set of looks a pass-key is provided having a ward adapted to operate the master-tumbler (Z, and when a guard-tumbler, h, is used, a second ward adapted to operate the guard-tumbler, the said wards being positioned on the key-bit to correspond with the position of the master and guard tumblers of the lock. g

Those portions of the key-bit which are not required to operate the master and guard tumblers are cut away suificiently to prevent the possibility of interference with the other tumblers of the look.

The bolt is operated by the pass-key as follows: The master-ward ofthe key engages with the belly of the master-tumbler d, raising said tumber until the pin d comes in contact with the ends of the slots 6'1" 9', causing the tumblers e, f, and g tohe' raised without dropping into the wards of the pass-key, and bringing the cross-slotsi in line at'the same time the guard-tumbler k is raised by the guide-ward of the pass-key until its cross-slot i is also in line, when the bolt-pin 0 will traverse the slot, permitting the movement of bolt 0.

The advantages of my invention are as follows: First, the slots 6, f, g, and h, in connection with the pin cl, add to the security o the lock, for the reason that-if a false key or pick is inserted in the lock, and operates one or more of the tumblers, (other than the master-tumbler,) the lower end of the slot 6, f, g, or h will press upon the pin (1, causing the tumblers to rise higher than the registeringpoint of the slots 0', thus preventing any movement of bolt 0; secondly, the master-tumbler and guard-tumbler being placed in proper position, any of the other tumblers of the series may be changed at will without changing the master-key; thirdly, by changing the position in the series of the master-tumbler and guardtumbler, or either of them, the original passkey may be rendered useless, and a difi'erent pass-key may take its place; fourth, this improvement can be added to any safe-lock, so that any number of locks making a set can have a master-key without altering the lock, except by adding a pin to one of the tumblers and slottingthe remaining tumblers, in the manner before specified.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a tumbler-lock, thecombination of a master-tumbler with the series of tumblers adapted to be operated from or by the mastertumbler, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. Ina tumbler-lock, the combination of a master-tumbler with a series of tumblers adapted to be operated from or by the mastertumbler, andwith a tumbler operated independentlyof the master-tumbler, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I, the said FERDINAND O. YANDA, have hereunto set my hand.

FERDINAND G. YANDA.

Witnesses:

JAMES I. KAY, J. K. SMITH. 

